Highlights
- New season of The Irregular at Magic High School brings in fresh characters, maintaining the balance between action and slice-of-life elements.
- Fans of the series can expect the familiar school setting and military involvement intertwined with a new storyline and character dynamics.
- While predictable in its genre mix, the third season offers exciting plot developments and intrigues for loyal followers to enjoy.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Irregular at Magic High School Season 3, Episode 1, “Double Seven Part I”, now streaming on Crunchyroll.
The Irregular at Magic High School didn’t get to enjoy the same height of popularity as its peers, such as The Misfit of Demon King Academy or A Certain Magical Index. What this series has managed to achieve, however, is the coveted title known as “a cult classic” with tons of loyal fans who are eagerly waiting for its new season.
And now, years after the end of the second season, a new season of The Irregular at Magic High School has finally arrived. This time around, the story will focus on a new feisty character who comes to infiltrate the First High Magic High School and threaten the peaceful life of our protagonists.
New But Familiar
The third season of The Irregular at Magic High School presents a brand new storyline with some brand-new characters. Interestingly enough, the series managed to make the first episode of this new season look and feel exactly the same as the last one, even though the two seasons are actually four years apart from each other. More on this later.
New Characters
|
Character Name |
Angelina Kudou Shields (Angie Sirius) |
|---|---|
|
First Appearance |
Season 3, Episode 1 |
|
Release Date |
April 5, 2024 |
As mentioned earlier, there are several new faces in this third season of The Irregular at Magic High School. The most notable one is a girl named Angelina Kudou Shields, also known as Lieutenant Colonel Angie Sirius, from the United States of North American Continent (USNA). Just like Tatsuya, Angie is also a Strategic-Class Magician, which means she is one of the most powerful magicians in the world.
This time around, Angie is tasked with a special investigation mission in Japan. Her mission forced Angie to pretend to be a student at First High Magic School. As it turns out, although she is an extremely reliable soldier on the field, when it comes to being a spy, she is simply the worst. This begs the question, why would USNA send her in the first place?
Angie has actually appeared in a movie called The Irregular at Magic High School The Movie: The Girl Who Summons the Stars which was released back in 2017. However, since that movie was an original story that was not part of the original light novel, many consider this episode as her official first appearance.
School and Military
|
Place of Interest |
First High School |
|---|---|
|
First Appearance |
Season 1, Episode 1 |
|
Release Date |
April 6, 2014 |
The previous section briefly mentioned how the third season successfully brought a sense of familiarity while bringing new stuff to the fans at the same time. One of the most obvious methods that they used to achieve this consistency was by using the same settings throughout the whole series.
Every season of The Irregular at Magic High School takes place mostly within the boundaries of the Magic High School with the occasional military involvement. Basing the story around the same place and the same people will ensure a sense of familiarity. However, it also conveys the feeling of stagnation. Too much of the same thing will inevitably lead to boredom. So hopefully, we’ll get to see much more diverse settings in this new season.
A Balancing Game
The Irregular at Magic High School is not a full-blown action fantasy, nor is it a total slice-of-life story. It is a blend of both genres. Some parts of the series feel like a student’s slice-of-life story, while other parts feel like a carefully crafted action fantasy. The key is to present the appropriate amount of both parts to ensure the viewers have a great watching experience. You can feel this delicate balance in this first episode. But just like the previous point, there’s also a cause for concern regarding this balance.
Action and Slice of Life
From the first episode of the first season to the latest episode of the second season, every episode of The Irregular at Magic High School blends action and slice-of-life into one. The difference is in how much each genre influences any given episode. Usually, the early episodes will have more slice-of-life elements with a tiny drop of action while the latter parts will have more action with only a handful of slice-of-life/drama in it. As expected, the same principle holds true for the first episode of the third season as well.
Predictability
Varying the degree of influence between both genres in every episode depending on the progression of the story is a great way to keep a balance and consistent storytelling. However, since they’ve been doing it for two seasons, with the third one currently ongoing, the viewers can pretty much predict that the series will begin on a wholesome note and it will get more intense as the story progresses. So in a way, this series has become rather predictable, which is not a good thing at all. Let’s hope the third season can introduce something new and refreshing to the series.
One for the Fans
It’s obviously too early to judge this third season based solely on the first episode. But as a long-time follower of The Irregular at Magic High School, one thing is instantly clear to me. The fans will undoubtedly love this new season.
The Fans Will Love This New Season
The first episode has everything that the fans have come to love from this series. A wholesome interaction between Tatsuya, Miyuki, and their friends, a secret military mission involving unknown criminals and dangerous magic, political intrigues, and a snippet of crime and danger that is about to unfold in the upcoming episodes. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the fans couldn’t be more excited about this long-awaited third season.
New Viewers Should Watch From the Start
Just like any long-running anime series, it’s hard to ask new viewers to join the fun when the series is already well into its third season. This is doubly true for a series that has such a tight-knit storyline as The Irregular at Magic High School. The reason is simply that there are tons of crucial storylines that the viewers need to know first before hopping into the third season. So if you have never watched this series before and are interested in giving it a try, the third season is not a good place to start. Start at the first episode of the first season instead.
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